Methods and apparatus to facilitate proximity detection and location tracking

• US 10,068,116 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2017
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Good, Brandon Stephen, Theurer, Charles Burton, Liu, Shaopeng, Wallace, Robert Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Bee, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US15/407,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20170124366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10425 the interrogation device being arranged for interrogation of record carriers passing by the interrogation device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to facilitate proximity detection and location tracking. An example method includes receiving messages collected by a badge in an environment, the messages including signal strength and a timestamp. The example method also includes assigning a location in the environment to the badge based on a first subset of the messages. The example method also includes identifying an asset in a second subset of the messages. The example method also includes updating a current location associated with the asset based on a relative proximity of the asset to the badge, wherein the current location corresponds to a first time and the updated location corresponds to a second time, and wherein a change in location between the current location and the updated location indicates movement of the asset in the environment.

Claims

1. A method to facilitate proximity detection and location tracking in an environment, the method comprising:

initiating, at a badge including a processor, a batch timer;

storing one or more reader messages in a memory at the badge, each reader message tagged with a mobile-location type identifier or a fixed-location type identifier to enable identification of mobile-asset reader messages and aggregation by a location server;

comparing, using the processor, a value of the batch timer to a batch threshold;

when the value satisfies the batch threshold, initiating a connection between the badge and a location server;

transmitting the one or more reader messages from the badge to the location server via the connection; and

resetting the batch timer,

wherein, when the mobile-location type identifier is associated with a reader message, the mobile-location type identifier is to be used with signal strength information to enable the location server to analyze the one or more reader messages to classify a location of an asset relative to the badge.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more reader messages include one or more beacon messages received by the badge.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more beacon messages are associated with location information.

4. The method of claim 2, further including forming the one or more reader messages by combining with badge information with the one or more beacon messages.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the badge information includes at least one of a) badge identifying information, b) timestamp information, c) signal strength information, or d) channel identifying information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the batch threshold provides a periodic transmission interval for the badge based on the batch timer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the one or more reader messages from the badge to the location server via the connection further includes transmitting the one or more reader messages from the badge to the location server using web service calls via the connection.

8. An apparatus to facilitate proximity detection and location tracking in an environment, the apparatus comprising:

a badge including;

a receiver;

a memory;

a transmitter; and

a processor, the processor adapted to;

initiate a batch timer;

store one or more reader messages in the memory, each reader message tagged with a mobile-location type identifier or a fixed-location type identifier to enable identification of mobile-asset reader messages and aggregation by a location server;

compare a value of the batch timer to a batch threshold;

when the value satisfies the batch threshold, initiate a connection between the badge and a location server;

transmit the one or more reader messages from the badge to the location server via the connection; and

reset the batch timer,

wherein, when the mobile-location type identifier is associated with a reader message, the mobile-location type identifier is to be used with signal strength information to enable the location server to analyze the one or more reader messages to classify a location of an asset relative to the badge.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the one or more reader messages include one or more beacon messages received by the badge.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more beacon messages are associated with location information.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is to form the one or more reader messages by combining with badge information with the one or more beacon messages.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the badge information includes at least one of a) badge identifying information, b) timestamp information, c) signal strength information, or d) channel identifying information.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the batch threshold provides a periodic transmission interval for the badge based on the batch timer.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is to transmit the one or more reader messages from the badge to the location server via the connection by transmitting the one or more reader messages from the badge to the location server using web service calls via the connection.

15. A tangible machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

initiate a batch timer;

store one or more reader messages in the memory, each reader message tagged with a mobile-location type identifier or a fixed-location type identifier to enable identification of mobile-asset reader messages and aggregation by a location server;

compare a value of the batch timer to a batch threshold;

when the value satisfies the batch threshold, initiate a connection between the badge and a location server;

transmit the one or more reader messages from the badge to the location server via the connection; and

reset the batch timer,

wherein, when the mobile-location type identifier is associated with a reader message, the mobile-location type identifier is to be used with signal strength information to enable the location server to analyze the one or more reader messages to classify a location of an asset relative to the badge.

16. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more reader messages include one or more beacon messages received by the badge.

17. The storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more beacon messages are associated with location information.

18. The storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions cause the machine to form the one or more reader messages by combining with badge information with the one or more beacon messages.

19. The storage medium of claim 18, wherein the badge information includes at least one of a) badge identifying information, b) timestamp information, c) signal strength information, or d) channel identifying information.

20. The storage medium of claim 15, wherein the batch threshold provides a periodic transmission interval for the badge based on the batch timer.